Elevant

Elephant

Photo: © Rebecca Mothersole/Watson-Guptill

Project excerpted from Knitted Wild Animals.

Elephants take dust or mud baths to clean themselves and to protect their skin from the sun, wind, and insects. Their skin is so sensitive that they can even feel a fly landing on it! Elephants love playing in water and drink around 30 gallons of it every day.

What you’ll need

Measurement
Elephant measures 9 1⁄2in (24cm) in height

Materials
Any light worsted weight yarn:
350yd (1 3⁄4oz/100g) gray (A)
70yd (3⁄4oz/20g) white (B)
Scraps of black for features
Note: amounts are generous but approximate
A pair of size 3 U.S. (3.25mm) needles
Polyester fiberfill
Straight pins
Tweezers for stuffing small parts (optional)

Gauge
26 sts x 34 rows measure 4in (10cm) square over Stockinette st using 3.25mm needles before stuffing

Abbreviations
Click her for abbreviations.

How to make Elephant

Body (make 2 pieces)
Beg at lower edge using the thumb method and A, cast on 35 sts.
First and next 4 foll alt rows: P.
Inc row: K10, m1, k15, m1, k10 (37 sts).
Inc row: K11, m1, k15, m1, k11 (39 sts).
Inc row: K12, m1, k15, m1, k12 (41 sts).
Inc row: K13, m1, k15, m1, k13 (43 sts).
Inc row: K14, m1, k15, m1, k14 (45 sts).
Beg with a p row, work in St st for 11 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog tbl.
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows 12 more times (19 sts).
Bind off.

Base
Using the thumb method and A, cast on 20 sts.
First row: P.
Inc row: K1, m1, k to last st, m1, k1.
Rep first 2 rows 5 more times (32 sts).
Beg with a p row, work in St st for 5 rows.
Dec row: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog tbl.
Next row: P.
Rep last 2 rows 5 more times (20 sts).
Bind off.

Hind legs (make 2)
Using the thumb method and A, cast on 32 sts.
Beg with a p row, work in St st for 21 rows.
Dec row: (K2, k2tog) to end (24 sts).
Next and next foll alt row: P
Dec row: (K1, k2tog) to end (16 sts).
Dec row: (K2tog) to end (8 sts).

Forelegs (make 2)
Using the thumb method and A, cast on 28 sts.
Beg with a p row, work in St st for 15 rows.
Dec row: (k2tog) 3 times, k2, (k2tog) 6 times, k2, (k2tog) 3 times (16 sts).
P 1 row.
Bind off.

Head
Beg at back using the thumb method and A, cast on 12 sts.
First and next 8 foll alt rows: P.
Inc row: (Inc) to end (24 sts).
Inc row: (K3, inc) to end (30 sts).
Inc row: (K4, inc) to end (36 sts).
Inc row: (K5, inc) to end (42 sts).
Inc row: (K6, inc) to end (48 sts).
Inc row: (K7, inc) to end (54 sts).
Inc row: (K8, inc) to end (60 sts).
Inc row: (K9, inc) to end (66 sts).
Inc row: (K10, inc) to end (72 sts).
Beg with a p row, work in St st for 15 rows.
Dec row: (K7, k2tog) to end (64 sts).
Next row: P50, turn.
Next row: S1k, k35, turn.
Next row: S1p, p to end.
Dec row: (K6, k2tog) to end (56 sts).
Next row: P44, turn.
Next row: S1k, k31, turn.
Next row: S1p, p to end.
Dec row: (K5, k2tog) to end (48 sts).
Next row: P38, turn.
Next row: S1k, k27, turn.
Next row: S1p, p to end.
Dec row: (K4, k2tog) to end (40 sts).
Next row: P32, turn.
Next row: S1k, k23, turn.
Next row: S1p, p to end.
Dec row: (K3, k2tog) to end (32 sts).
Next row: P.
Next 2 rows: K.
Dec row: K2tog, k to last 2 sts, k2tog tbl.
Rep last 4 rows 4 more times (22 sts).
Next row: P.
Next 3 rows: K.
Rep last 4 rows 8 more times.
P 1 row.
Dec row: K2, (k2tog) 4 times, k2, (k2tog) 4 times, k2 (14 sts).
Cast off p-wise.

Ears
Side 1 (make 2 pieces)
Using the thumb method and A, cast on 16 sts.
First and next 10 foll alt rows: P.
Inc row: K1, m1, k8, m1, k6, m1, k1 (19 sts).
Inc row: K10, m1, k9 (20 sts).
Inc row: K10, m1, k10 (21 sts).
Inc row: K10, m1, k11 (22 sts.
Inc row: K10, m1, k12 (23 sts).
Inc row: K10, m1, k13 (24 sts).
Inc row: K10, m1, k14 (25 sts).
Inc row: K10, m1, k15 (26 sts).
Shape next row: K2tog, k8, m1, k14, k2tog tbl (25 sts).
Shape next row: K2tog, k7, m1, k14, k2tog tbl (24 sts).
Shape next row: K2tog, k6, m1, k14, k2tog tbl (23 sts).
Dec row: P2tog tbl, p to last 2 sts, p2tog (21 sts).
Bind off.
Side 2 (make 2 pieces)
Using the thumb method and A, cast on 16 sts.
First and next 10 foll alt rows: P.
Inc row: K1, m1, k6, m1, k8, m1 k1 (19 sts).
Inc row: K9, m1, k10 (20 sts).
Inc row: K10, m1, k10 (21 sts).
Inc row: K11, m1, k10 (22 sts).
Inc row: K12, m1, k10 (23 sts).
Inc row: K13, m1, k10 (24 sts).
Inc row: K14, m1, k10 (25 sts).
Inc row: K15, m1, k10 (26 sts).
Shape next row: K2tog, k14, m1, k8, k2tog tbl (25 sts).
Shape next row: K2tog, k14, m1, k7, k2tog tbl (24 sts).
Shape next row: K2tog, k14, m1, k6, k2tog tbl (23 sts).
Dec row: P2tog tbl, p to last 2 sts, p2tog (21 sts).
Bind off.

Tusks (make 2)
Using the thumb method and B, cast on 4 sts.
Inc row: P this row increasing p-wise into first and last st.
Inc row: K this row increasing k-wise into first and last st.
Rep last 2 rows once (12 sts).
Beg with a p row, work in St st for 16 rows decreasing one st at each end of 4th and every foll 4th row (4 sts).
P 1 row.
Thread yarn through sts, pull tight and secure.

Assembly

Body
Place two halves of body together, matching all edges and join row-ends. Stuff body, leaving neck and lower edge open.

Base
Pin base to lower edge of body and sew base to body all the way around, adding more stuffing to base if needed.

Hind legs
Join row-ends of hind legs and stuff. Stand body on flat surface and position legs wide apart, pin and sew cast-on sts of legs to body all the way around.

Forelegs
Fold bound-off sts in half and whipstitch. Join row-ends and stuff. Pin each foreleg to either side of body pinning top of arm to 6th row below bound-off sts at neck. Sew cast-on sts in place all the way around.

Head
Gather cast-on sts of head, pull tight and secure. Join row-ends of trunk and with seam at center back, whipstitch bound-off sts. Stuff trunk and join row-ends of head leaving a gap. Stuff head and close gap. Pin head to body, pinning first garter st row of trunk to neck at center front, adding more stuffing to neck if needed. Sew head to body by taking a small horizontal st from head and then a small horizontal st from body, alternating all the way around.

Ears
With right sides facing, place a side 1 and side 2 together matching all edges. Join row-ends and bound-off sts by sewing back and forth 1 st in from edge. Turn right-side out and catch cast-on sts together. Repeat for the other ear. Sew ears to head.

Tusks
Join row-ends of tusks from tips to beg of increase sts, and stuff, pushing stuffing in with tweezers or tip of scissors. Sew tusks to either side of head at top of trunk.

Embroidering the features
To make eyes, tie a knot in 2 lengths of black yarn, winding the yarn around 6 times to make each knot (click here for directions) . Check that the knots are the same size. Tie eyes to 15th row above top of trunk with 8 knitted sts in between. Weave in ends into head.

Tail
Take 6 lengths of yarn, each 16in (40cm) long, in a bundle and tie a knot in the center. Fold in half and divide into 3. Braid for 1 1/4in (3cm) and tie a knot to secure. Cut ends 5/8in (1.5cm) from the knot. Sew tail to elephant at back.

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